Sad: Deforestation in Monarch Butterfly Reserve

[nam78_two]

EO Newsroom: New Images - Deforestation in Monarch Butterfly Reserve

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17943

Deforestation in Monarch Butterfly Reserve
February 23, 2008
Each year millions of monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles back and forth from wintering grounds in Mexico to their breeding locations in the eastern United States and Canada. In the fall, the monarchs return to just 12 forested mountaintops in central Mexico, where they form colonies in which millions of butterflies cluster on the trunks and branches of the trees. Despite the creation of protected areas and reserves, illegal logging has been steadily shrinking this unique, critical monarch habitat.

Recently, scientists identified severe degradation of the forest habitat within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico using imagery from the commercial Ikonos satellite. The white line indicates the boundaries of the reserve’s “Core Zone,” where logging is forbidden according to the Presidential decree that established the reserve in November 2000. This pair of images shows the affected area on March 22, 2004 (top) and February 23, 2008 (below). The degraded area is the site of the Lomas de Aparicio monarch colony. The circles on the image indicate the approximate positions of the colony in different seasons. Colonies typically cover areas of 0.25–2.0 hectares (equivalent to a circle with a diameter of 60–160 meters, or 200–525 feet). The area had been largely intact since at least 1986. Overwintering colonies have been documented there since 1996, but have probably formed there long into the past.

In the 2004 image, the beginnings of the logging operation are apparent in an area to the east of (and partially inside) the core zone. Based upon this pair of images, and a similar image taken in 2006 by the QuickBird satellite, scientists Lincoln Brower, Daniel Slayback, and Isabel Ramirez have determined that approximately 450 hectares (1,110 acres) of forest were logged between 2004 and 2008, representing 3.3% of the 13,552 hectares (33,410 acres) core zone of the reserve. The majority of this logging (290 hectares, or 717 acres) has occurred since March 2006.
*************************************************************************
More at the link...

[Lorien]

1. Humankind simply won't stop

until they've destroyed every beautiful thing on earth, and have finally caused the death of birth.

[nam78_two]

2. :-(

I get so sickened reading these stories over and over again :(. I force myself to read all the environmental news, but God is it depressing..

[ConsAreLiars]

3. It's not "humankind" doing this.

It is capitalism, the system that puts profit as the highest and only value. It destroys all life, and will continue to do so until it destroys our species along with all the others, maybe leaving a few cockroaches and bacteria as survivors of that plague.

[Lorien]

19. Ah, but it is, sadly enough

nothing will slow population growth at this point, and the World Wildlife Fund's predictions will likely come true; by 2050 we will have run out of natural resources; all forests gone, all edible fishes taken from the sea. :-(

[BrklynLiberal]

12. Hi...Nice to see your name in a thread....

[Lorien]

24. Hi BrklynLiberal!

:hi:

I'm here and there...but I only post during brief pauses from work. Gotta get as much done before the recession/ depression settles in!

[The Straight Story]

4. Humankind is good at creating and destroying

it seems that one has become more profitable than the other - especially when it involves corporations. They drive us by fear of monetary loss, just like our government drives us by fear of loss of life due to terrorism.

And a kick for an important thread.

[nam78_two]

7. Thanks for the kick

:)

[lonestarnot]

5. Fucking A! When will corporate assholes die?

[halliburtonsux]

27. Not soon enough

-

[rumpel]

6. ....

:(

[Hekate]

8. The Monarchs like our Goleta eucalyptus trees & stop off in large numbers...

... at a large grove called Ellwood. It's quite a sight to stand inside a grove where every branch is full of beautiful butterflies.

Santa Barbara County is on their migratory path, and clearly they are not averse to some non-native trees, since the euks are Australian. If the Mexicans can be persuaded to replant (hopefully native) trees the Monarchs can continue for another few million years despite rampant human greed and stupidity.

Hekate

[nam78_two]

9. They are beautiful aren't they?

A friend who is a photographer has some beautiful pics I have been meaning to post here at some point...

[girl gone mad]

10. They pass through here in the spring..

and again in early fall.

I've planted some milkweed for them to lay their eggs on, plus butterfly bush for nectar.

Deforestation isn't the only threat these butterflies face. Urban and suburban sprawl often destroy their habitats. They like to fly low and are preyed upon by domestic cats or end up on windshields. Humans usually eliminate native vegetation and plant exotic species, which then spread and can out-compete the plants that the native wildlife are dependent on.

If you live in their migratory path, you might consider planting some native butterfly attracting species. The milkweed leaves make them toxic prey to birds, spiders and other insects and it's the only plant they'll use for reproduction.

[Mugu]

15. It's clear that we live in very different places.

It's hard for me to imagine needing to plant milkweed. It grows wild in northern Illinois and it's everywhere.

I like to take pictures of bugs and the milkweed is always a good place to look.

[Hekate]

16. If that's milkweed I don't think I've ever seen it here in SoCal. Lovely photos. nt

[Mugu]

18. That is indeed milkweed. In the upper mid-west it's everywhere.

The first photo is what the flowers look like when they first emerge. Then each successive photo shows the life of the flower until the last photo of the seedpod.

The little red bug is known as a Milkweed Beetle. The bug in flight is a Hummingbird Moth.

Regards, Mugu

[girl gone mad]

22. Great pictures.

I live in N. Central Texas. Our native Milkweed doesn't grow in large colonies, just small clumps here and there. People are real into their lawns here, and only the most prolific weeds seem to thrive once sprawl takes over. We had quite a few Monarchs pass through last year, hope they'll be back this year.

[Mugu]

28. Thank you.

I used to live in a suburb of Fort Worth. I have always hoped to someday move back. But, due to circumstance it seems unlikely.

Regards, Mugu

[nam78_two]

25. Wow-beautiful pics!

Thanks for sharing those :hi:.

[Mugu]

29. It was my pleasure.

Modern cameras are so good that everybody can can take good photos, even an old blind guy like me. My camera is a Panasonic point & shoot that cost less than $500 (including memory and extra battery) a couple of years ago.

Regards, Mugu

[BrklynLiberal]

26. Outrageously fantastic pictures!!!

[Mugu]

30. Your kind words are very much appreciated.

I don't get the opportunity to show my photos very often.

I hate the winters in northern Illinois, but the spring makes it worthwhile. I'm looking forward to being able to get out in the backyard and stalk bugs again soon.

Regards, Mugu

[BrklynLiberal]

31. My son went to Northwestern, and now lives in Chicago.

Whenever I start to talk about the winter weather here in NYC, he laughs and says that I should not expect any sympathy from him.

There is a photography forum here at DU that has month showings/competitions. You should submit photos.

In fact, I just saw that the contest is going on right now..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3001921

[BrklynLiberal]

11. I also live along their migratory path. I have seen their numbers diminish from the point where

they would fill the trees as if they were the leaves, and it was a butterfly tree. Now, I never see that happen anymore. There are bunches that come thru...but never in the numbers I used to see in the 80's. It was an incredible experience. They would just FILL the trees and bushes...

[Jeffersons Ghost]

13. K&R... Butterfies Are Free... TO DIE! n/t

[Orwellian_Ghost]

14. K&R n/t

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

17. I will not stand for this! Come Dr Girlfriend

I couldn't help it.. Seriously though this sux..

[devilgrrl]

20. Why is anyone shocked by this? Industry won't stop until everything has been destroyed.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[nam78_two]

21. Sad isn't it

:(

[devilgrrl]

23. It's disheartening.

:-(